How to Find Us

The Wood County Genealogical Society Genealogy Research Center is housed at the Quitman Public Library, 202 E. Goode Street (Hwy 154), Quitman, Texas. The library is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every Tuesday through Friday excluding holidays.

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Here at the Wood County Texas Genealogical Society we really don’t any hard and fast rules or procedures for helping those who query or visit the genealogy research room at the Quitman Public Library. Mostly as members become aware of such requests they voluntarily take such queries and provide short answers or ideas for sources like in comments on queries here at WoodTxGene or on our Facebook page. Sometimes a member will do more research and perhaps get into correspondence with a researcher. At this point in time, most do not charge for their research time, but will ask for reimbursement for copy machine expenses and postage. We will, perhaps, set up standard guidelines for researching in the future.

Included here (and below) are examples of one member’s extra steps in helping with research requests. This was supplied for our monthly member newsletter by President Shirley Bates, but the newsletter editor (yours truly) forgot to include in the November issue.

“The latest about Dubose was an email I sent her telling her that since she was looking for her ancestor whose dates were in the 1800’s the last of which was 1846, Wood County was not in the Republic and the censuses did not include Texas or the Republic. I advised her to see if she could find censuses of the Republic or of the Mexican government which owned Texas before the Republic. I told her to check with the Texas State Archives. I told her the phone numbers 512-463-5460 or 512-463-5480 and their email address of archinfo@tsl.state.tx.us. Their address is Box 12927 Capitol Station, Austin, T X 78711-2927.
“I also suggested the Steen Library which is on the campus of the Steven F. Austin College in Nacogdoches. I didn’t have the email address or phone numbers but they are easy to find.
While I was doing that research a young man by the name of George Waddleton called me and wanted to know about the Waddletons in Wood County. That name immediately perked up my ears because there is a Doctor Waddleton here and a Reverend Waddleton (I think) here. Dr. Waddleton may be dead. I sent him a lot of info about Waddletons that I found and he wants me to continue researching those names which I will start again next week. He also wants research done in Winnsboro which I’ll do. ” — Shirley Bates

Post from Quitman Public Library (Delene H. Allen) via Wood County (TX) Genealogy Research Community
By Rachel Thomas
I am looking for any information on James Lindsay Shoemaker 4/23/1865 and Mamie Goodwin Shoemaker 11/24/1872, they married in Quitman 6/13/92. I looking for their children if any? 1910 census show James Lindsay Shoemaker, Jr in home but names him as a nephew.born 1892. I know James was a TX Ranger and his dad Oliver W. a US MARSHALL any info, stories, about their life would be greatly appreciated.

Comment 1

From Delene H Allen: Thank you, Shirley Bates, for providing the research. I will forward what you have found.

Comment 2

From Mary Lou Mallory: Tommie Cosby who lives at Holly Lake was the daughter of the Shoemakers here in Mineola who had a nursery on West Hwy. 80.

The final session of the 2013 spring genealogy Road Show by the Wood County Genealogical Society (WCGSTX) is Tuesday, April 2 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Quitman Public Library. This free session to help those new to family tree searching or those stuck on family tree brick walls has previously been held at the Mineola, Winnsboro, Hawkins, and Alba libraries.

WCGSTX members help with research tips, local book resources, and online researching of free and for pay sites and services such as Ancestry.com, HeritageQuest, and FamilySearch.com.

Below are some pictures of members helping researchers from the Winnsboro road show earlier in March.

Thanks for the help at the Mineola Memorial Library stop on the 2013 Wood County, Texas Genealogy Road Show to the following society members who braved the weather to be present: Mark Reid, Shirley Bates, Angela Low, Mary Ann Neiswanger, Shirley Patrick, and Deason Hunt.

Three goals for the 2012-13 year and the unveiling of plaques to honor lifetime members and distinguished members of the Wood County Texas Genealogical Society were announced at a special June meeting this week.

Goals announced by President Ronnie Vance are (1) more programs on county history including but not limited to community histories and member presentations on their families from those areas, (2) more service to researchers using resources of the Genealogical Research Room at the Quitman Public Library and to help community members with their genealogical research, and (3) involving more members in those help activities including how to help researchers and resources available in the local library including some staffing possibilities with volunteer members.

Three members present receiving awards for service at the June meeting were Dorothy Harbin, Deason Hunt, and Mark Reid

President Vance displayed plaques to members and recognized new honorees. The award for Lifetime Member was made to Mark Reid, past president and vice-president as well as webmaster, researcher, and author of articles for society publications. Other lifetime members previously announced are Miriam Dougherty and Shirley Bates.

President Ronnie Vance unveiled the permanent plaques honoring members for service. They will be displayed in the Genealogy Research Room at the Quitman Public Library.

Distinguished Service honorees among current membership recognized were Dorothy Harbin, past president and vice-president and currently Requisitions and Acquisitions Co-chairperson; Deason Hunt, past treasurer and currently newsletter editor and webmaster and Editorial Committee Chairperson, and Nita Munoz, past vice-president and secretary. Former members receiving the Distinguished Service recognition are Lyrline Avery, Faye Boucher, Lahoma Clanton, Edith Tedder, Ida Marie Turner, and Adele Vickery.

Shirley Bates, Dorothy Harbin, Wayne McCluney, Kathy Lutonsky, and Sally Allcorn go through the line for refreshments at the June meeting.

Members in attendance at the meeting enjoyed a light, finger foods meal, social and visiting time, and an informal discussion of items of interest and importance to the society.

Requisitions and Acquisitions Co-chair Shirley Bates recently demonstrated the helpfulness of society members on a help request from an Illinois resident which was called into the Quitman Public Library. It turns out that the information was actually needed from Ector County, Texas. Here’s Shirley’s description of what she was able to do for the long-distance researcher:

“Rose Miltimore from Illinois called asking help in finding information about her daughter, Linda Styden, who had died March 24, 2012. She and the daughter were not on speaking terms but she wanted to get an obit or a death record or something. The daughter died in Odessa and Rose said it was probably her heart and she was probably cremated. …I called the long distance operator and was told that Midland was the county seat of Ector County and I was given the phone number of the County Clerk’s office. The lady I talked to said Ms. Miltimore needed to send a letter stating the full name of the deceased, the full name of the mother with maiden name, the full name of the father, the date of death, a picture identification of the person requesting this (Ms. Miltimore) and a money order for $21.00 to Vitals, P.O. Box 707, Odessa, Texas 79760.I think a lot of people would like to know that contacting the county clerk’s office might get more info than they know…”.

The Wood County Genealogical Society will hold its annual Christmas party on the regular meeting night, Monday December 19, at 7 p.m. at the Shamburger Room at the Quitman Public Library. We are hoping for a large turn out from all out members who live close enough to drive in for the party. We would love to share this time with you and your spouse or other guests.

Members are reminded to bring finger foods to share with others. Plates, cups, napkins, ice, etc. will be furnished but you should bring your choice of drink.

A white elephant, gag gift, or “Mexican gift” exchange will take place so bring something that might bring giggles or guffaws when opened. A $5.00 to $15.00 limit is suggested, but if you’ve got something on hand that will work, that’s okay, too. When it’s your turn, you can either open a not-yet chosen gift or take one of those already opened. A three-time limit on taking any specific gift will be in effect. (Third person can’t be stolen from.) Shirley Bates suggests you find your gift soon and wrap it and bring it along with your finger foods dish to the party.

Important: If you know local area members who do not get email or check the internet, please call them and let them know about the Christmas party.

Members Only

Extra Content for "members only" includes back issues of the WCGS Bulletin Newsletter, meeting minutes, treasurer's reports, and other special content at wcgstxarchives.wordpress.com/. Members are added to the site for access upon joining. If you have not been added, please email us at wcgstx@gmail.com.

Calendar of Events

Beginning in February 2013, the monthly Calendar-of-Events will be moved to a monthly blog post. To find the current month, type "Calendar-of-Events" (no quotation marks) in the search box at the top right of this page. To see the entire monthly events, you might need to click on the blog post Title; (example) WCGSTX February 2013 Calendar-of-Events.